Reaching Out

Reaching Out to the Community

First Congregational United Church of Christ is committed to strengthening and befriending the Wellington Heights neighborhood. We share our building with the Boys & Girls Club, where dozens of children gather every day after school and throughout the summer. We are partners with Johnson Elementary School of the Arts, located across the street. The church sponsors free cookouts for the neighborhood in the summer, and free meals at other times during the year.

Click for more information about Café 361

In addition, the church is home to Café 361, a youth ministry program for girls in 6th through 8th grade. The girls gather with adult volunteers about 15 times during the school year to cook a meal for 50 guests. A delicious meal is at the center of this program, but the ministry primarily focuses on strengthening relationships, offering positive role models, bridging cultural and racial differences, building self-esteem and widening our view of the world.

Community garden harvest time

During the summer of 2013, we planted our first community garden, an outreach project that involved about a dozen local partners. Produce from the Gather and Grow Friendship Garden was shared with the partner agencies and our neighbors.

Our Adult Education series often features guest speakers who address topics related to current events and other subjects of interest to those in our community.

Throughout the year, we organize special collections and participate in special projects as a way of partnering with local agencies and groups to improve our city and share God’s love., including: